Students volunteer in Flint for Catholic Schools Week

FLINT, MI -- With hands covered in frosting, Madeline Moose spent her
morning spreading icing over cookies as a part of Catholic Schools Week.

Moose, 9, a fourth-grader at St. John the Evangelist School
in Fenton, was one of 200 fourth- through eighth-graders volunteering at Catholic
Charities of Shiawassee and Genesee Counties as a part of the week.

"It feels good," Moose said about volunteering.

Vicky Schultz, president of Catholic Charities of Shiawassee
and Genesee Counties, said the students were the largest group of volunteers
that had been to the building, located at 517 E. Fifth Ave.

"They're getting a lot of things done that would've taken us
a long time," she said. "First hand, they'll be able to see who they are doing
this for and who they are helping."

Schultz hopes the volunteer effort might become an annual thing.

"We're just excited they are here today and that we could accommodate
200 kids at the same time," she said. "Hopefully, they have a great experience
and they'll be back."

Students made sandwiches, decorated cookies, made and
bottled laundry soap for those the charity helps.

"I feel like we're helping out people that don't have things
we have," Evo said, adding he wants to continue to volunteer.

Seventh grade teacher Jean King said students in kindergarten
through the eighth grade gathered items to donate to Catholic Charities before
coming on Thursday, Jan. 30.

"St. John's tries not only to give them a quality education
but we really do try to teach them these morals and values so that when they go
out into the world and they are done with St. John's, they'll have that
attitude of 'We can give back,'" she said. "We
thought it would be cool for them to see where the stuff was going."

Isabella Hough, 14, made lunch
boxes that are being prepared for the St. Patrick's Day lunch at Catholic
Charities.

"It feels really good," the eighth-grader said. "I like
helping people and that's what we're all doing."